The wood of the windowsill cracked under my fingers. Another splinter dug into my skin, but I didn't even flinch. Everything inside was seething. The wolf clawed from within, demanding release, demanding blood, or at least the sound of breaking bones.
"You'll punch a hole through the wall if you keep staring at her like that."
Damian slinked into the room, not even bothering to knock. He reeked of damp earth and that nauseating arrogance he always passed off as concern.
"I didn't ask you to come in."
"And I didn't ask for permission."
He settled into the armchair like he owned the place, crossing his legs. His flawless doublet was just as irritating as the silence in this castle.
"Is the toy broken?" Damian fished out a knife and began twirling it between his fingers. "Saw her in the garden today. Walking as if she's the Alpha here, and you're her loyal hound on a leash."
"She just forgot her place."
"Oh no, Cale. She hasn't forgotten it. She's denying it. And she's doing it publicly."
I turned sharply. The amber light in my eyes, I was sure, was burning bright.
"What are you trying to say?"
"The pack is whispering. They're calling you 'soft.' They say the replacement turned out to be too tasty a morsel for you to break."
"Let them whisper. I'll rip the tongues out of every single one."
"You can't rip them all out." Damian narrowed his eyes, looking at me over the blade of the knife. "You let her look you in the eye. You let her turn away when you enter. It's contagious, Cale. If an Alpha can't subdue one girl, how will he subdue the council?"
"She is my mate. Even if she is a replacement."
"She is a tool. And a tool that stops working is either fixed or thrown away. So far, you're only stroking her fur, hoping for reciprocity."
I punched the wall. Stone dust showered the floor.
"She resists my every command. The bond... it pulses with fucking hatred."
"Because she feels your weakness." Damian rose, stepping closer. His voice grew lower, more insidious. "You don't need her understanding. You need her obedience. Break her. Not with words, Cale. With your body. With her spirit. Make it so her legs buckle from terror, not defiance, when she sees you. Physical pain passes, but fear... fear stays in the bones forever."
"You're suggesting I beat her?"
"I'm suggesting you tame her. Like a wild beast. A whip, a cellar, the cold... or just take what is yours by right, in a way that makes her forget her own name. Show her that her will is dust under your boots."
He patted my shoulder. His hand was cold.
"If she doesn't break now, she'll destroy you later. Choose."
Damian left without waiting for an answer. The shadow of his smile hung in the air long after, mingling with the smell of ozone before a storm.
My steps in the corridor sounded like hammer blows. Servants pressed themselves against the walls as soon as they saw me. Good. Let them be afraid.
The door to her chambers was barred. Foolish.
I threw my shoulder against it, and the wood gave a pitiful cry as it surrendered. The bolt ripped out by the roots, hitting the carpet with a thud.
Alina stood by the bed. Pale, in that gray dress of hers that made her look like a ghost. She didn't scream. She didn't fall to her knees. She just looked at me, and in that gaze, there wasn't a drop of the submission I craved.
"Get out," her voice trembled, but she tried to keep her tone steady.
"You forget yourself."
I stepped into the room, filling the entire space. The scent of smoke and red-hot metal—my scent—began to choke her lavender aroma.
"I said—get out. You have no right..."
"Right?" I caught her chin, jerking her head up. "In this castle, you have only one right—to breathe as long as I allow it."
"Let go. You're hurting me."
"It will hurt a lot more if you don't shut your mouth."
Her eyes widened. Fear swirled in them, but somewhere at the bottom, that cursed spark of rebellion still burned.
"Damian is right. I've let you play at being proud for too long."
"Damian? You're listening to that snake?" She tried to wrench herself free, but I only squeezed my fingers harder.
"I'm listening to the voice of reason. You are a replacement. A pawn. Your job is to be convenient. Instead, you've become a thorn."
"I am a human, Cale! Not your thing!"
"You're wrong. You are my property. Every cell of yours, every breath belongs to me. And if you don't start behaving as you should, you'll rot in the dungeon. You'll share space with rats and dampness until you learn to lick my hands when we meet."
"You... you won't do that."
"Test me. Do you want to go to the chains right now?"
She trembled. The scent of wild herbs grew sharper, mixing with the salty bitterness of her fear. It was intoxicating. The bond between us flared like dry kindling, searing me with her pain. And I liked it.
"Cale, please..."
"Now it's 'please'? Too late."
I shoved her onto the bed. She fell backward, frantically trying to crawl away until her back hit the headboard.
"Where do you think you're going? There is no way out."
I loomed over her, blocking the torchlight.
"I... I will complain to the council. You can't treat a mate like this."
"You are no mate to me. You are a surrogate. And the council doesn't care how I break in my mare."
"Don't you dare!"
She swung, trying to strike my face. I caught her wrist halfway, twisting it until she cried out.
"Still biting? Then I haven't trained you well enough."
I ripped the collar of her dress. The fabric tore, exposing pale skin and the mark on her neck, which pulsed a deep crimson.
"No! Stop! Cale, don't!"
Her pleas only spurred the wolf. He demanded recognition. He demanded she acknowledge her master.
"Be quiet. Just be quiet and take what you deserve."
I stripped the rest of her clothes off, ignoring how her hands pushed against my chest. Her strength was laughable. She was like a bird in a cage, beating against the bars, only injuring her wings further.
I entered her roughly, without warning, knocking the air out of her. The whole world narrowed down to this act of suppression. This wasn't love. It wasn't even passion. This was an execution of her will.
"Look at me," I growled, grabbing her hair and forcing her head back. "Look and remember who you are."
She squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming down her cheeks, but I wasn't going to give her sanctuary in the darkness.
"Open your eyes, Alina!"
When she finally obeyed, I saw what I wanted. The spark of rebellion was gone. All that remained was emptiness and a vast, paralyzing terror. She went limp beneath me, ceasing her resistance.
Every thrust was a claim of rights. Every movement burned away her identity, leaving a broken shell in place of a proud woman.
The inner beast finally growled with satisfaction, curling into a ball.
I finished and stood up abruptly, not looking at her. She lay among the crumpled sheets like a broken doll, covering her face with trembling hands. The room smelled of sex, sweat, and final defeat.
"Clean yourself up," I spat, fastening my doublet. "Tomorrow you will come to lunch and you will smile. You will be the perfect mate, Alina. Or next time, we'll spend it in the torture chamber."
She didn't answer. Only a quiet, barely audible sob escaped her lips.
I left the room, feeling a cold sense of triumph. The bolt on the door was broken, but she wouldn't need it anymore. She wasn't going anywhere.
In the corridor, Damian was waiting for me. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.
"Judging by your look, the lesson was learned?"
"She won't be a problem anymore."
"Good. An Alpha must know how to tame his beasts."
I walked past him without looking back. The wolf inside me was silent, satiated and calm. I had regained control. I was the master of my house once again. And if her soul was the price, it was a small price to pay.